Singles Roundup September 2017

With the kids back to school and the leaves on the trees turning, it’s no denying that autumn is definitely upon us. Bad news for fans of the sun, but good news for rock n roll, as autumn is a great time for tour announcements and new records!

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – Little Thing Gone Wild

Moody, screeching and (appropriately) slightly feral, Little Thing Gone Wild is the first new material from Black Rebel Motorcycle Club for a few years, and is the first single from the band’s eight studio album Wrong Creatures, which is due January next year. It’s pretty much exactly what you’d want, and indeed expect, from BRMC, dark, bluesy and cool as fuck.

You can hear the new track over on YouTube, with a video that is appropriately ‘dark’ also!

The Hip Priests – Scene Is A Crime

After shooting the massive load that was the A Decade Of Disdain mammoth singles compilation earlier this year, it is perhaps no great surprise that they haven’t put out a single for over six months, the last one being their contribution to a Lemmy tribute EP earlier in the year. But, such is the Priests ferocious appetite for a good seven inch, they have this month released Scene Is A Crime, a typically uncompromising pounding rocker, as part of a split 7 with Cleveland Ohio 77 originals Pagans.

Black Futures – Karma Ya Dig!?

Ok, looking past the questionable title and teenage punctuation, Black Futures throw an industrial / gothy vibe over some modern day psych in quite a pleasing way. In turns dark and lurching and floatingly melodic, Karma Ya Dig is about the nihilistic party adventure that is one’s twenties, from which not everyone returns. As the haunting refrain says, “see you on the other side”.

Have a listen to the track yourself on Soundcloud, and if you’re feeling brave, catch them at Bloc in Hackney on Thursday 5th October.

Death By Unga Bunga – Into The Night

Again, lets overlook the terrible name, they’re from Norway; Into The Night though is a wonderful garage rock meets 70s bubblegum / power pop tune. Spangly, shiny, and with a Thin Lizzy guitar tone, there’s all kinds of good stuff in here, from a bit of Hawkwind keyboard to the urgent chugging sound of the first couple of Supergrass albums, but ultimately it’s all, uh, uniquely Unga Bunga.

This track is out now as the B side to their new single, Bye Bye, and you can hear it over on Soundcloud. The band are currently supporting Stiff Little Fingers on their 40th anniversary US tour.

Dolls – Armchair Psychiatrist

Stripped back London duo Dolls are Jade (guitar and vocals) and Bel (drums and vocals), and Armchair Psychiatrist is one of the latest singles from garage psych masters Roadkill Records. Slow paced and minimalist, the track nevertheless packs quite a melody, and an sinister haunting edge, the gaps between the beats almost as important as the beats themselves.